Wire-stretcher



No. 6253153. Patented May 23, I899. n. u. MARTZ.

WIRE STBETOHEB.

'Apphcltxon filed July 26 1898 (No Model.)

WU asses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RANDOLPH N. MARTZ, OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,453, dated May 23,1899.

Application filed July 26, 1898. Serial No. 686,944. (No model.)

To (all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RANDOLPH N. MARTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Frederick, in the county of Frederick and State of Maryland,have invented a new and useful Tire-Stretcher, of which the following isa specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wire-stretchers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofthat class of wirestretchers known as mid-wire take-ups and to provide asimple, inexpensive, and efficient device of great strength anddurability adapted to be readily applied to a fence-wire at any pointbetween two fence-posts and capable of stretching a fence-wire to thedesired tension and of being securely fastened in such position.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement, of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims heretoappended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wire-stretcherconstructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to afence-wire. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device detached.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both figuresof the drawings.

1 designates a wire-stretcher consisting of a bar or lever preferablyflanged, as shown, to secure great strength and durability, and providedat one end with a short wire-engaging stud 2, and having adjacent to thesame a longer pivot pin or stud 3, around which a fence-wire t iswrapped to tighten the same, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of theaccompanyin g drawings. The short wire-engaging stud is provided with anannular groove or depression to receive the fence-wire, which is loopedaround the short stud and which extends therefrom to the pivot pin orstud. The fence-wire is wrapped around the pivot pin or stud in the samedirection, the direction of one side or portion of the wire beingchanged by the stud 2 to accomplish this result, and the said fence-wiremay be wrapped around the outer portion of the pivot pin or stud withoutcontacting with the short stud 2. By this construction the pivot pin orstud is subjected to all the strain, which is equalized, so that thereis no unequal strain on the device, as would be the case were thefencewire wrapped around both studs. By constructing the wire-stretcherin this manner it is enabled to withstand a great strain without theslightest injury. The outer end of the pivot pin or stud 3 is providedwith a head or flange to prevent the wire from slipping oif the device.

The handle portion of the bar or lever is slightly inwardly offset tobring its inner face in substantially the same plane as the face of thehead of the short stud 2, and its outer end is provided with a fiatextension 5, forming a continuation of the central flange of the leveror bar and having oppositely-disposed flanges 6, arranged parallel withand spaced from the side flanges'of the bar or lever to formoppositely-disposed grooves adapted to receive the fence-wire, asclearly shown in Fig. 1. By providing a wire-receiving groove at eachside of the handle end of the bar or lever 'the device may be stopped atthe end of a half-revolution and does not have to be entirely rotated inorder to bring it into a position for engaging the fence-wire. Thehorizontal plate or extension 5 is also provided with a perforation oreye adapted to receive a short piece of wire or tie for positivelyfastening the outer end of the bar or lever to the wire.

Under ordinary circumstances the bar or lever will give sufficientleverage for stretching a fence-wire to the desired tension; but whenthe device is applied to the heavier class of fence-wires it may befound necessary or desirable to employ a wrench or other tool forrotating the device, and in order to enable such a tool to be readilyengaged with the device the latter is provided at a point directlyopposite the inner end of the pivot pin or stud 3 with a squaredprojection or lug 8, which may be of any polygonal shape.

The invention has the following advantages: The device, which is simpleand com= paratively inexpensive in construction, possesses greatstrength and durability and is adapted to be readily engaged with afencewire at any point between the ends thereof. As the pin or stud uponwhich the wire is Wrapped is of greater length than the short stud 2,the'strain is equally divided and is borne solely by the solid pivot pinor stud. A wrench or similar tool may be readily engaged with the deviceat a point opposite the pivot pin or stud, and either face of the outerend of the bar or lever may be engaged with the fence-wire, so that thedevice need only be given a half-revolution, if desired. The bar orlever can also be positively secured at its outer end to a fence-wire,so that it cannot become accidentally-disengaged therefrom by cattlerubbing against the fence or like means.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of this invention.

What is claimed is 1. A wire-stretcher, comprising a bar or leverconstructed of flanged metal and provided at one end with a fiat plateor extension forming a continuation of one of the flanges of the bar orlever and having oppositely-disposed flanges spaced from the latter toform opposite grooves to receive a fencewire, whereby the bar or levermay engage the same at either side of it, a pivot pin or stud extendingfrom one side of the lever or bar, and a wire-engaging stud locatedadjacent to the pivot pin or stud, substantially as described.

'2. A wire-stretcher comprising a lever, a rigid pivot pin or studlocated between the ends of the lever at one side thereof and adapted tohave a fence-wire wound around it, a short eccentrically-arranged studlocated at one end of the lever on the same side thereof as the pivotpin or stud and terminating short of the end of the same, and a doublelocking device mounted on the other end of the lever and adapted toengage a fence-wire from above or below the same, and comprising aperforated plate or extension, and flanges arranged on both faces of theplate or extension and forming wire-receiving grooves, substantially asdescribed.

3. A device of the class described comprising a bar or lever provided atone end with a plate or extension having a perforation to receive a tieand provided with opposite grooves, a short wire-engaging stud extendingfrom the other end of the bar or lever and rigid with the same, a rigidpivot pin or stud arranged adjacent to the short stud and pro jectingbeyond the same, and a rigid wrenchreceiving lug located at the otherside of the bar or lever at a point directly opposite the pivot pin orstud, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aifixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RANDOLPH N. MARTZ.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERS, THEODORE DALTON.

